Cell Gallery

A pair of Staphylococcus aureus have gone through 2 cell divisions, producing a pair of tetrads. Cell division in this and other bacteria can occur every 20 to 30 minutes. Elsewhere on this site, you can learn about the dynamics of bacterial growth.

This leukemia cell is tearing itself apart by a process called apoptosis. You can find out more about this natural phenomenon of programmed cell death in "Apoptosis: when a cell commits suicide".

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) was dissolved in ethanol and allowed to recrystallize through evaporation. The crystal was photographed between crossed polarizing filters. Other crystals are on exhibit in "CRYSTALS alive!"

This scanning electron micrograph shows the fine structure of a blood clot. Platelets released from the circulation and exposed to the air use fibrinogen from the blood plasma to spin a mesh of fibrin. Learn how other cells defend us against infection in "OUCH!... Anatomy of a Splinter".

Escherichia coli (E. coli ) are very common intestinal inhabitants. Some can be dangerous in food and water supplies. Most newsworthy are life-threatening infections from eating undercooked E. coli 0157 - contaminated hamburger. Before leaving "CELLS alive!", learn how bacteria swim and how they grow.

Scanning electron micrograph of human macrophage ingestingStreptococcus pyogenes. The spherical cell riding piggy-back on the macrophage is a lymphocyte, an important component in the immune response to infection. Read about these cells' close association in Antibody Production.

Scanning electron micrograph of human red blood cells. Red cells get their red color from iron-rich hemoglobin which is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. These cells got THEIR red color from Photoshop(R). See animated red cells in capillaries in "OUCH!... Anatomy of a Splinter".

Scanning electron micrograph of the common soil bacteriaPseudomonas aeruginosa. These bacteria are actively motile in aqueous environments but can attach to a submerged surface and grow into a sessile, slimy colony called a "biofilm". Colorized gray scale image.

Human neutrophils are white blood cells that serve as professional phagocytes: their primary function is to eat and kill bacteria and they arrive quickly at the site of a bacterial infection. This neutrophil, ingesting Streptococcus pyogenes, was imaged in gray scale with phase contrast optics and colorized. See neutrophils in action in "OUCH!... Anatomy of a Splinter".

This human eosinophil was originally imaged in gray scale with Nomarski DIC optics and a CCD camera, then colorized using Adobe Photoshop(R). Eosinophils are important in combatting parasitic diseases and people with those diseases and allergies generally have elevated eosinophil counts. See Allergies and Mites.